Electric hot-water tank attachment



Feb. 14, 1950 D. c. OBRIEN 2,497,184

ELECTRIC HOT WATER TANK ATTACHMENT Filed March 25, 1947 16 mil IN VENTOR.

Don (I. OZBrz'en ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 14, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE ELECTRIC HOT-WATER TANK ATTACHMENT 1 Claim.

This invention relates to an electric hot Water tank attachment which isadapted to be used for the heating of establishments in which the tankis installed.

An object of the invention is to provide a device of this characterwhich, when used in conjunction with a hot air furnace, will furnishheat developed by the device, to the establishment in which it isinstalled.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention consists of thenovel details of construction, arrangement and combination of parts morefully hereinafter described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in section of a system embodying the inventionand Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view of the heating arrangement,per se.

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the reference numeral l9designates a hot water tank which is provided with the conventionalelectric heating means II which is controlled by a conventionalthermostat l2.

The tank is used to heat domestic water, having the inlet pipe I3 andoutlet pipe l4, and the tank is completely covered by a layer ofinsulation I5.

The present invention contemplates the use of the hot water in the tankfor the heating of dwellings, in the same manner as the hot air heaterof an automobile is used to heat the automobile interior. To this end,the tank is provided with a secondary outlet I6 which is connected to aradiator l! which is constructed in a manner similar to the radiator ofan automobile. The radiator is connected to a water circulating pump l8by an outlet i9, and the pump is connected to the bottom of the tank byan outlet 20.

The drive shaft 2| of the pump 18 is provided with a pulley 22 having abelt drive connection 23 with a pulley 24 on the drive shaft 25 of anelectric motor 26. Thus when the motor is energized, water is pumpedfrom the tank I into the radiator I1 and back into the tank I0,maintaining a complete circulation of water during the operation of themotor 26.

The radiator I1 is mounted at the top of a box-like housing 21, whichrests on the floor, and is provided with an outlet pipe 28 connected tothe dome 29 of a hot air furnace 30.

The housing 21, pipe 28 and furnace 30 are all covered by a layer ofinsulation 3|, as are the other conventional hot air ducts 32 of thefurnace.

The radiator has a fan 33 mounted at the rear thereof by brackets 34connected to the frame 35 of the radiator, and the shaft 36 of the fanis equipped with a pulley 31 having a hub drive 2 connection 38 with apulley 36 on the drive shaft 25 of the motor 25. Thus the fan will forceair through the radiator where it is heated, out pipe 28 into thefurnace 3i} and out ducts 32 to heat the dwelling in which the furnaceis installed.

The housing 2? is also provided with an intake pipe 46 which is alsocovered with the insulating covering 31, and this pipe is connected tothe return duct, not shown, of the furnace til. Thus the hot air iscirculated through the furnace, and the dwelling, for the heatingthereof, without the use of any fuel in the furnace, which isconventionally used for the heating of the dwelling.

There has thus been provided an attachment which will heat a dwellingwithout the use of any conventional fuel, and it is believed that theoperation and construction of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

It is also to be understood that changes in the minor details ofconstruction, arrangement and combination of parts may be resorted to,provided they fall within the spirit of the invention, and the scope ofthe appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent is:

A device of the character described, in combination with a heatinsulated hot water tank and a heat insulated hot air furnace,comprising a housing, a radiator in said housing, means for connectingsaid radiator to said tank, means for connecting said housing to saidfurnace, and said means comprising an insulated pipe having a bellformation on one end confronting the radiator, means for circulating thewater in the tank and the radiator insulation means on said tank,housing a connecting means for retaining the heat therein and means forforcing air from said housing, which has been heated by said radiator,into said furnace, for the heating of a dwelling, and motor means insaid housing for operating said water circulating and heat circulatingmeans.

DON C. OBRIEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,079,453 Julian May 4, 19372,256,303 Williams Sept. 16, 1941 2,264,122 Scharfi Nov. 25, 19412,314,086 Gifiords Mar. 16, 1943

